Distortion of the Pyramid of Numbers in a Grassland Insect Community

Evans, Francis C.; Lanham, U N

doi:10.1126/science.131.3412.1531

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…spumarius is a pest of legumes, strawberries, and other crops (Weaver and King 1954), and the vast literature on the species includes studies of the color polymorphism in adults (Owen and Wiegert 1962, Whittaker 1968, Harper and Whittaker 1975, and Halkka 1978, population dynamics (Evans andLanham 1960, Wiegert 1964b, Whittaker 197 3), host plant relations (Weaver and King 1954, Wiegert l964b, Halkka et al 1967, Halkka 1978 and nutrition (Wiegert 1964a, Horsfield 1977. spumarius is a pest of legumes, strawberries, and other crops (Weaver and King 1954), and the vast literature on the species includes studies of the color polymorphism in adults (Owen and Wiegert 1962, Whittaker 1968, Harper and Whittaker 1975, and Halkka 1978, population dynamics (Evans andLanham 1960, Wiegert 1964b, Whittaker 197 3), host plant relations (Weaver and King 1954, Wiegert l964b, Halkka et al 1967, Halkka 1978 and nutrition (Wiegert 1964a, Horsfield 1977.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…After hatching from the egg, nymphs must find a feeding host to begin forming spittlemasses (Weaver and King 1954). P. spumarius is a pest of legumes, strawberries, and other crops (Weaver and King 1954), and the vast literature on the species includes studies of the color polymorphism in adults (Owen and Wiegert 1962, Whittaker 1968, Harper and Whittaker 1975, and Halkka 1978, population dynamics (Evans andLanham 1960, Wiegert 1964b, Whittaker 197 3), host plant relations (Weaver and King 1954, Wiegert l964b, Halkka et al 1967, Halkka 1978 and nutrition (Wiegert 1964a, Horsfield 1977.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Niche Partitioning in Spittlebugs (Homoptera: Cercopidae) Sharing Shelters on Host Plants

McEvoy¹

1986

Ecology

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Resource exploitation was measured for two spittlebugs using shelters on host plants. Approximately 80% of the older nymphs of Philaenus spumarius and Lepyronia quadrangularis lived cradled in leaf axils. Manipulative experiments showed that preference for leaf axils over adjacent internodes is related to shelter rather than food, and that spittlebugs favor wide over narrow axils. Preference for a host species was correlated with the quality of shelter provided by the host's axils. Leaves reduce runoff and evaporation of spittle, the frothy excrement that surrounds and protects the nymph.Sampling of old-field vegetation indicated that the two spittlebug species concentrated in shelters at different heights in the vegetation; the larger species (L. quadrangularis) extended beyond the vegetation height range of the smaller (P. spumarius), and overlap between the species was greatest on short plants ( <25 em). Overlap was greater on tall(> 50 em) than intermediate (25-50 em) stems. Tall stems offer less available stem length because hard lower stem tissues make stylet penetration difficult.The supply of shelters far exceeded demand even after excluding axils made useless by narrow width, trichomes, tissue hardness, and distance from the occupied site. Despite the abundance of empty axils, individuals of the same or different spittlebug species often lived together in the same axil. Crowding did not delay development or stunt growth; in field samples, the instar and dry mass of nymphs were independent of density over the observed range in density among spittlemasses (l-12 nymphs per spittlemass) and among stems (1-17 nymphs per stem). In accord with recent reviewers who conclude that competition for food rarely occurs among insect herbivores, this study demonstrates that use of shelters is similarly characterized by high overlap, undersaturation, and absence of densitydependent effects on growth and development.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Niche Partitioning in Spittlebugs (Homoptera: Cercopidae) Sharing Shelters on Host Plants

McEvoy¹

1986

Ecology

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“…The field chosen for study is located on the eniversity of Michigan's Edwin S. George Reserve, 4.5 mi west of Pinckney, Livingston Co., Mich. Evans & Cain (1952) and Evans & Dahl (1955) have described the vegetation of this field; Talbot (1953Talbot ( , 1954 has investigated the ant populations; Hairston & Byers (1954) have sampled the soil arthropods; and Evans & Lanham (1960) have examined the insect fauna of the herbaceous stratum. Both laboratory and field studies were undertaken.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Soil Arthropods in the Energetics of an Old Field Community

Engelmann¹

1962

Ecological Monographs

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“…Both laboratory and field studies were undertaken. The field chosen for study is located on the eniversity of Michigan's Edwin S. George Reserve, 4.5 mi west of Pinckney, Livingston Co., Mich. Evans & Cain (1952) and Evans & Dahl (1955) have described the vegetation of this field; Talbot (1953Talbot ( , 1954 has investigated the ant populations; Hairston & Byers (1954) have sampled the soil arthropods; and Evans & Lanham (1960) have examined the insect fauna of the herbaceous stratum. According to Evans & Dahl, the climate is a humid, mesothermal one, with mean monthly temperatures ranging from -4°C in January to 23°C in July, with a mean annual precipitation of 78 em well distributed throughout the year.…”

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confidence: 99%